Method of dispensing liquids.



S. COOPER.

METHOD OF DISPENSING LIQUIDS. APPLICATION 'FILEDOCT. 24. 1912.

1,283,071 Patented Oct. 29,1918.

s. 00mm. METHOD OF DISPENSING LIQUIDS.

Patented Oct. 29, 1918.

' 2 SHETSSHEEI 2 Olllll fllrlllfillll APPLICA'HDN FILED OCT. 24. I911.

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Original application filed February 11, 1916, Serial No. 77,551.

- 24, 1917. Serial No. 198,205.

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SIMON COOPER, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO PINE HILL CRYSTAL SPRING WATER. COMPANY, or NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

METHOD OF DISPENSING LIQUIDS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SIMON Coornn, a citi- Zen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of Dispensing Liquids, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a methodof dispensing liquids, and the invention is particularly applicable for dispensing beverages from large inverted containers. The appas ratus in operation produces a hydrostatic balance between the column of liquid within the receptacle and the column outside. The liquid is dispensed from the outer column and this disturbs the equilibrium of the columns and tends to produce a flow from the inner column to the outer one. In order to facilitate this flow itisnecessary to admit air to the partial vacuum chamber within the container above the column of liquid within it. i

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a very simple and efficient method for effecting this admission of air but with the parts so organized as to prevent any flow of water through the air inlet means. Among the other objects of the invention is to provide for enabling the admitted air to be purified if desired.

Further objects of the invention will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the general combination of parts, and features described in the following specification while the broad scope of the invention is set forth in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical Section through apparatus to be used in the practice ofmy invention; Fig. 2 is a vertical section upon a large scale showing in detail one embodiment of the air inlet means; Fig. 3 is a horizontal cross section on the line 33 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing a modification; Fig. 5 is a similar view showing another modification; Fig. 6 is a horizontal section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is another vertical section showing another modification; and Fig. 8 is a cross section on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7.

The container 1 is, for example, in the form of a largebottle received in an in- Specification of Letters Patent.

column 5 to the space Patented Oct. 29, 1918. Divided and this application filed October verted position in a bottle holder 2. At its lower side or neck 3 it communicates with a delivery chamber or cup i and when the container is in position there is developed a hydrostatic balance or state of equilibrium between the liquid column 5 within the container, and the column 6 in the delivery cup or chamber 4c, the effect being to produce a partial vacuum in the air chamber 7 above the liquid column 5. Equilibrium is established when the atmospheric pressure and the column 6 equal the water column 5 and the attenuated pressure in the vacuum chamber 7. The communication between the Water columns is best effected by means of a duct preferably having an enlarged upper portion 8 and a reduced lower portion 8", the latter extending down into the delivery chamber 1 and below the level of the liquid column 6.

Means such as the stopcock 9 is provided for drawing ofi liquid from time to time from the column 6. When this is done the level ofthe water column 6 descends and this disturbs the equilibrium and produces a flow of liquid from the column 5 to the column 6. When this occurs air should be admitted to the partial vacuum chamber 7, and this means should operate without permitting any outward passage of the liquid. I construct it entirely without valves and in the simplest manner possible. For this purpose, preferably adjacent the junction point of the two portions 8 and 8 of the duct I prefer to provide air-inlet means comprising preferably a. plurality of small vents 10 which may be found in a collar 11 indicated at this point. WVhen the liquid flows down in the duct there is developed a relatively high central velocity in the duct which tends to produce a reduction in pressure near the wall of the upper portion of the duct. all events an inflow of air occurs at the inlets and this air passes up through the liquid On account of the small size of these vents and their relatively large number, their combined effect is to give a relatively steady or regular inflow of air, which tends to produce a steady flowing stream at the stop-cock 9 characterized by the absence of violence and splashing. In Fig. 3 by way of example I have illustrated six of these air inlets. but there may be more or less of them as desired. In Fig. 2 the tively thin collar collar is relatively thick giving relatively long vents and giving relatively sluggish flow through the duct 8, 8'.

By altering the features of construction of the inlet vents the action ot' the stream flowing through the duct may be varied as desired, for example, by employing a rela- (see Fig. 4c), or by providing such a collar 13 (see Fig. 8) with a relatively great number of vents 1 1.

The vents may be formed in any manner desired, for example, by drilling the collars or forming the collars of fine gauze, or if desired the vents may be formed by "forming them in the inner edge of the collar 15 (seeFig. G) in which case they may be in the form of small slits 16.

The communicating duct is preferably formed in a plug comprising an upper metal tube 17, the bore of which forms the duct 8, and a smaller tube 18 connected by the collar 11, the upper tube having a tapered gasket or bushing 19 of cork, rubber or similar material adapted to form an e'liiective stopper for the bottle neck.

In order to prevent any spilled liquid from finding its way into the delivery chamber I prefer to provide the same with a tight cover 20 surmounted by a funnel-mouthed cup 21 which assists in guiding the bottle' neck into place, and provided with drain openings 22. If desired fastening devices such as rivets 23 through the collar may secure these parts all together.

Communication of the chamber 4 with the atmosphere may be maintained by means of a tube 241 which may be provided with a goose-neck 25 which may be provided if desired with a porous disinfectant such as medicated gauze. V I

As is usual with such apparatus the delivery chamber t and contiguous parts of the apparatus are held in a case 26 which may be provided with a removable ice holder 27, access being had to the interior by means of a removable cover 28. y

The character of the vents has considerable infiuence on the variations of level that will occur in the every case the duct 8" to insure that its lower uncovered (see Figs. 4. 5

should be long enough end will never be and 7 Ii that should occur it would break the hydrostatic seal which formed at this point and the apparatus would then not operate in its normal way. It is desirable that the vents should be small, that is, of a capillary nato form a hydrostatic balance, drawing off liquid column 6 but in ture, because then the surfacetension of the liquid standing in the vents is high and operates so that'the surface pressure'on the outer side of each vent prevents the liquid from flowing out through it.

My invention evidently includes a novel methodof dispensing liquids from this kind of receptacle according to which the admission of the air occurs through a constantly open air inlet below the level. of the inner columns, without leakage of liquid at any time past the air inlet point; and this air, of l coursepasses up to the Torricellian vacuum chamber. My method of admitting air adjacent the duct between the columns is also advantageous as the outward flow of the liquid in the duct tends to produce a local reduction in pressure that tends to induce an inward flow of air.

It is understood that the embodiment of the in vention, set forth herein is only/one of the many embodiments the invention may take, and I do not wish to be limited in the practice of my invention 'nor in my claims to the particular embodiment set forth.

The present application is adivision of my copending application Serial No. 7 7 ,551 filed February 11th, 1916, for liquid-dispensing apparatus. a

1. The method of dispensing liquids which consists in holding an inner columnof liquid beneath a partial vacuum, holding an outer column of the liquid in communication with said first column and cooperating therewith liquid from said outer column and there- 5 by disturbing the equilibrium of said columns to cause a flow of liquid from said inner column to said outer column, and maintaining a constantly open capillary air inlet below the level of the liquid in the inner column.

2. The method of dispensing a liquid which consists in holding an inner column of liquid beneath a partial vacuum chamber, holding an outer column of the liquid, maintaining a communicating duct between said columns so that said columns hydrostatically balance each other, drawing ofi liquid from the outer column and thereby disturbing the equilibrium of said columns, and maintaining constantly open small air inlet vents around the duct through which the liquid will not pass.

7 SIMON COOPER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

